The storm system that rolled in and dumped nearly 2 inches of rain onto a very parched West Texas gave farmers something they haven’t had in a while: hope.

“If I didn’t have my faith, I don’t know that I could do it,” said Jeremy Brown, who farms about 2,000 acres of mostly dryland cotton in Dawson County.

“With this drought, it sure has been tough. But God’s been faithful. We’re still in it.”

Since Thursday evening, Mother Nature has dropped between 1 to 4 inches of rain across the region. Some areas received more — Ralls got a whopping 4.67 inches — and others got none.

About half of Brown’s crops got rain. Half didn’t.

“We all want to make a crop,” Brown said. “You can’t be selfish with it in that way. I didn’t get it this time, but my neighbor did. Farming, that’s just how it is.

“I’m never gonna complain when I get rain, especially after the last two years.”

The heaviest rains fell to the east of Lubbock, according to the National Weather Service. Floydada, which is about 50 miles northeast of Lubbock, got 2.55 inches of rain. And Slaton, which is about 20 miles southeast of the city, got 2.52 inches.

Farming isn’t for the weak — especially in these dry and dusty days of drought.

Before this week’s rain, the Hub City had only received 0.9 inches of precipitation. Typically, by this time of year, Lubbock would have received 5.38 inches. The recent rains have gone a long way toward closing the gap. Lubbock’s total rainfall for the year is 2.84 inches.

But that doesn’t put a dent in the shortfall since the drought settled in, in 2011. The city has only received about half of what it has on average.

About 73 percent of the state is in moderate drought conditions, according to the most recent Texas Water Development Board drought report. Lubbock and the region, however, are in exceptional drought conditions.

So far, Lubbock has received 1.94 inches of rain since Thursday night.

Dahlen Hancock said Friday the rain was well timed.

“I just don’t remember when we’ve had much more than an inch of rain,” said Hancock, who farms mostly cotton on 6,500 acres in Lubbock and Lynn counties.

“You’ve got to be built to be a farmer.”

Rain isn’t just good for the region’s aquifer and reservoirs; it’s good for the economy.

In 2010 alone, the cotton crop generated $2 billion, according to the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce. And a 2012 economic analysis conducted by Texas Tech and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension found that agriculture on the High Plains accounts for about 15 percent of the region’s economy.

“It’s not all about me,” Hancock said. “It’s about the region. We’re all in this together. We just need to be thankful that the good Lord gave us some rain.”

More is expected before this system rolls out Monday.

John Lipe, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Lubbock, said the city could see another 2 inches over the holiday weekend.

“Things are looking up, definitely,” Lipe said.

Steve Verett, executive vice president of the Plains Cotton Growers, said he and farmers across the region were keeping their fingers crossed the forecast rain would actually materialize.

Still, as farmers race against looming June deadlines to qualify for crop insurance, they expressed optimism the late spring rains signaled something more.